Installing drywall AFTER wiring - plaster ear support

kevin1900

9 years ago

I am having drywall installed in the garage years after having wired it. What is the best way to ensure the receptacles and switches are flush to the finished wall? The default would be the drywall is cut around the plaster ears eliminating that point of support. How do I remedy that problem? Thanks!

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Comments (11)

joefixit2
9 years ago
Pull all the devices out and replace after drywall. You may need to get some box extensions depending on how far your boxes are set back.

Here is a link that might be useful: box extenders
Ron Natalie
9 years ago
You may wish to see before you hang the drywall if you can remount the boxes so they won't need extenders as well (i.e., within 1/4" of the ultimate finished surface)
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"My general contractor offered me to hang a drywall on top of plaster but I dont see a value of this." Oh for the love of God - I wish if people didn't know how to do something or it was outside their range of expertise they would just say so and not propose these ridiculous things that do more harm than good. So he adds more thickness with a layer of drywall - what does he do with the trim then? Rip it out and install skinny cheap modern trim from Home Depot (some do exactly that - ugghhhh) Sorry OP I just had to vent there!! Ive been looking at old houses to buy and theres no end of goofy, futzy things that people have done to them. Im glad you saw the folly of that esp in such an old house. Like fine antiques, as time goes on people more appreciate the old things - esp if well maintained in original condition. You may want to go over to thehistoricdistrict.org, which has many old house lovers on the forum including professionals who can advise in great detail about how to do plaster repair. Especially with your age of house - you might want to confirm what type of plaster you have . There was an earlier type of lime plaster with different composition with materials you might have to hunt for (but certainly are obtainable at reasonable cost) The later type of gypsum based plaster used in early-mid 1900s - materials not available at big box - I think Ace had a type of patching plaster that can work but the plaster of paris that they (and home depot) sells is not good - sets up way too fast and hard. Otherwise any small-mid size city should have a building supply store where they carry the more specialized types of materials - while traditionally plater walls had a three coat system, for repairing cracks Ive just used plain patching or veneer plaster - if a bigger hole you can get a rough coat plaster for first layer and veneer plaster for the top layer. Use a bonding agent on the edges of the old plaster and the lath to help the new plaster adhere well to the old. There's various other techniques for bigger areas and different types of situations - and other people will have their favorite methods and materials (some use drywall compound but IMHO if you have extensive repairs its best (and considerably cheaper) to get the real stuff. Re very fine surface hairline cracks - ignoring those works the best! In a nutshell - plaster repair is exactly the kind of labor intensive but very doable thing that a typical home owner can learn to do, and do well.
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hendricusÂ It is good to know 3/4-inch-thick drywall is available. I was concerned the general contractors might tell us we have no choice but to go with 1/2-inch-thick drywall. I would rather pay the difference in cost and use 3/4-inch. brickeyeeÂ Our plaster consists of 3/8-inch-thick gypsum (rock) lath, covered with about 1/4-inch of "cement" plaster, then approximately 1/8-inch of "finish" plaster. We have a chunk we saved from a damaged area we patched several years ago. It fits your first description of two-coat plaster exactly. (I did a little research Online last night after you told me what it wasÂit is definitely not veneer plaster.) What do you recommend using as a setting compound? We used mesh tape and ready-mix drywall joint compound, since it is easy to sand, which could be our problem. Our home has a 1/2-story with stairway access, which was never finished. We do walk up there some, since we use it for storage. It could be the floor joists have too much give. Thank you both for the helpful information! CK (Sorry if this posts twice. This is my second try!)
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btharmy
9 years ago
If the front edge of the box is currently flush with the front edge of the stud, remove and install them with a 1/2" proud of the stud. The next step is to turn off power to the devices, remove the screws and tuck one end of the device inside the box so they don't interfere with the installation of the drywall.
kevin1900
Original Author
9 years ago
Good advice. I was preparing mentally to pull them all but wasn't sure if it was necessary.

To clarify, the boxes are mounted (correctly I believe) utilizing the molded in bosses to create a 1/2" proud so as to be approximately flush with the finished wall when installed.

So, some great suggestions here (1) remove the switches and receptacles completely (with power off) or (2) tuck one end inside the box. Thanks!

I'm guessing that tucking them in will work with most of the boxes but not with the ones more full of wires. To help determine which is which: Is the intent that the device fit completely inside the box or will the installer be able to deal with one end sticking out some, and if so how much? Maybe it's a dumb question and I should just go experiment?

I might need a labeling kit? Lots of 3- and 4-way switches to reconnect and those boxes have a lot of wires in them.

Thanks for all your help.
greg_2010
9 years ago
You don't need to disconnect any wires. Turn the power off, unscrew the devices, pull them out as far as you can and then twist them so that one end is sticking in towards the box and the other end is sticking out. The idea is that the hole in the drywall can be slipped over the device.
geoffrey_b
9 years ago
I'm sure Greg wants to be helpful - but....... That hack job picture is exactly what you don't want.

Remove the devices. If you can - use a Rotozip.
greg_2010
9 years ago
Haha.
Okay ... I should have mentioned that he should ignore the drywall hacking. I was trying to show the receptacle placement.

It was just the first google picture that I could find.

That's what I would do if I was hanging the drywall (but definitely neater drywall cutting). But I guess if pros are hanging the drywall, they may prefer (or require) that you remove the devices so that they can use a rotozip as said above. Faster for them, more work for you.

This post was edited by greg_2010 on Tue, Nov 11, 14 at 15:43
greg_2010
9 years ago
And one more thing ... if you are hiring the drywall out ... make sure that you note where every box is in the room. Sometimes they are in such a hurry that they'll forget to cut out a hole and it'll be buried behind the drywall.
joefixit2
9 years ago
and if you choose to leave the devices in the openings wrap them up in a sandwich baggie or I guarantee you will be spending a lot of time chipping mud off them.
Ron Natalie
9 years ago
If the boxes stand proud of the studs, it will be harder for them to miss cutting the hole for them as the drywall won't lie flat (though I've seen stranger things).

The plastic isn't a bad idea. Not only drywall mud but if you're also having painters come through, they also may get stuff on your devices.

Rotozip use seems to be a personal preference with the rockers. Many of them can cut faster with the small drywall saw (what we call the "steak knife").
mayflower1032
9 years ago
I never removed the devices, the dry wall guy I use is a pro. Uses a roto zip and makes a beautiful cut around the devices. Never was an issue.

Installing drywall AFTER wiring - plaster ear support

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Installing drywall AFTER wiring - plaster ear support

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